Monday, June 22, 2009

I’m still in honeymoon daydream land…thinking of Southern Italy…the Mediterranean… exotic ports of call… Ah yes, this is the fun part… picking out place settings and invitations is alright…but I’d rather hike up an active volcano in Sicily with my new husband or wander into some Tunisian family-owned restaurant to sample some freshly caught, local grilled fish.

All of this got me thinking of the interwoven history in music, art, architecture and of course cuisine. I love how Sicilian cuisine contains elements of African cooking, like couscous, savory meats paired with sweet raisins and cinnamon, and, and, and…then it hit me…I have that delicious (yet lonesome) little bottle of pomegranate molasses in my cupboard just waiting for a purpose in life!

And I found it. Here is a recipe I adapted from cooking hottie Nigella Lawson. The exotic combination of spices can be found in North Africa, Sicily, and along the Mediterranean. The beauty of this brazen combo of flavors is how they mellow into a deep, complex and comforting dark broth. Dip some chewy Whole Wheat Molasses Bread (which you can make way ahead of time, and even freeze) into this stew and you’ve got some luxurious comfort food on hand.

Crock pot cooking in the summer is perfect because the kitchen stays nice and cool. I’m also loving my trusty crock lately because it allows me to shamelessly daydream about my groom and I jet-skiing the Tyrrhenian Sea…and I don’t have to interrupt my blissful vision to get up and stir the pot.NORTH AFRICAN BEEF STEW

3. Into the crock pot, layer from the bottom up: onions, carrots, potatoes, beef, thyme sprigs, bay leaf. Pour the sauce over the top. Cover and turn crock on low and fuggedaboudit for 6-8 hours.

4. To serve, first remove the thyme sprigs & bay leaf. Ladel the stew into big bowls and sprinkle the nuts over the top. I think a nice, thick slice of this whole wheat molasses bread serves as the perfect accompaniment for sopping up the delicious broth. You can also serve it over cous cous (in keeping with the North African vibe) or whole wheat egg noodles.

To "flapperfy" (verb) a recipe is to modify it to contain one or all of the above traits. :)

About Me:
I grew up the youngest of 6 in a large family. We sat down together for dinner every night. The TV would be turned off, my dad would help us wash our hands, and we'd gather together at the kitchen table to eat meals prepared by my mother. Those are the childhood memories I love the best.

Today, cooking for others with all my heart, and sharing the meal and conversation with those I love are to me some of the simplest and most fulfilling experiences of being alive. And so I share some of my favorite recipes with you in hopes that you will try a few, eat a few, share a few, and keep the love-snack wheel turning.